I Chose ISU: Boise's James Hunt blends pharmacy and business at ISU-Meridian

Chris Gabettas

You could say health care is in James Hunt's DNA.
His mom is a nurse. His dad, brother and sister-in-law are veterinarians, and his older brother is a podiatrist.

"I saw their ability to influence and impact people for good and I just wanted to be a part of that," he said.

And that meant leaving a 14-year career in business management and industrial distribution and enrolling in Idaho State University's Doctor of Pharmacy program in 2014.

"I think ISU's program is fantastic. Pharmacy is a career where you are always learning and that's evident every day in class," said Hunt, who attends classes at the Idaho State University-Meridian Health Science Center.

He is scheduled to graduate in 2018.

Hunt appreciates the program's emphasis on interprofessional education—where students and faculty from various disciplines such as pharmacy, physician assistant studies and dentistry—have opportunities to train together to maximize patient care.

Examples include shared lectures, case studies and the ISU-Meridian Community Health Screening program in which student teams provide free health services to underserved adults.

"We all have something to bring and we need to collaborate for the benefit of the patient," said Hunt, who participates in the screenings.

The ISU-Meridian campus—with more than 20 health professions programs under one roof—provides the perfect learning environment for collaborative training, say campus leaders.

Hunt hasn't decided what he wants to do after graduation. He enjoys clinical care, but a career in retail pharmacy would blend his passion for health care with his business acumen.

Hunt also holds three degrees in business, including a bachelor's in international business from Boise State University and an MBA with a health care emphasis from Northwest Nazarene University.

A 1996 graduate of Meridian High School, Hunt is pretty certain of one thing-he would like to remain in the Gem State.

"I love Idaho. This is where I want to live. This is where I'm raising my family. It makes sense to be here," said Hunt. He and his wife are parents to a girl, 12, and boy, 9.